Coupler-positioning device for railroad car couplers

ABSTRACT

A railroad car coupler-positioning device comprising a swing lever positioned between the coupler and the car truck adjacent same and extending transversely of the car, and pivoted at its midportion for swinging movement about a vertical axis aligned with the centerline of the car, an actuating arm disposed on one side of the car and connected between the swing arm and the car truck, and cable structures extending between the respective ends of the swing lever and the coupler shank and each including preloaded tension spring devices of essentially the same preload and adjusted to bias the coupler into alignment with the centerline of track when the car is on straight track, whereby pivoting of the car track as the car rounds a curve will actuate the swing lever and cable structures to keep the coupler tangent to the track. Also disclosed is a novel resilient coupler carrier for supporting the coupler.

United States Patentv Chierici [45] Feb. 15, 1972 [54] COUPLER-POSITIONING DEVICE FOR RAILROAD CAR COUPLERS [72] inventor: Osvaldo F. Chierici, Elmhurst, lll.

Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Att0rneyMann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway ABSTRACT A railroad car coupler-positioning device comprising a swing lever positioned between the coupler and the car truck adjacent same and extending transversely of the car, and pivoted at its midportion for swinging movement about a vertical axis aligned with the centerline of the car, an actuating arm disposed on one side of the car and connected between the swing am and the car truck, and cable structures extending between the respective ends of the swing lever and the coupler shank and each including preloaded tension spring devices of essentially the same preload and adjusted to bias the coupler into alignment with the centerline of track when the car is on straight track, whereby pivoting of the car track as the car rounds a curve will actuate the swing lever and cable structures to keep the coupler tangent to the track. Also disclosed is a novel resilient coupler carrier for supporting the coupler.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED EB 15 I972 sum 1 or 3 INVENTOR OSVALDO F CH/ER/ C/ PATENTEDFEB 15 I972 SHEET 2 OF 3 I E] v INVENTOR OSVALDO F CHIER/C/ ATT'YS PATENTEIIFEB 15 I972 SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR m S Y on hm m? E qfl L 06.

This invention relates to a coupler-positioning device, and more particularly to a device for maintaining couplers of railroad cars tangent with the track when rounding curves.

Heretofore, various arrangements have been proposed to either maintain the car coupler tangent with the track at all times (known in the art as coupler-positioning devices), or to keep the coupler centered with respect to the car center sill (known in the art as coupler-centering devices).

The present invention is concerned with a coupler-positioning device that will maintain the car coupler tangent with the track (or in other words, properly aligned with the centerline of the track) when moving along either straight or curved track. Proper positioning of the car with respect to the track along curves is especially important to, among other things, permit routine coupling operations on curves.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a couplerpositioning device that effectively maintains the coupler aligned with the centerline of track when rounding curves, yet exerts no pressure on the truck bolster when the car is on straight track.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a coupler-centering device that is in the form of a simple mechanical arrangement linking the coupler to the truck bolster adjacent same.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a coupler-positioning device that is economical of manufacture, convenient to install, and long lived in operation.

In accordance with this invention, each end of the railroad car is equipped with a swing lever positioned between the coupler and the car truck adjacent same, with the swing lever being pivotally connected at its midportion to the car underframe and extending transversely of the car. Positioned to one side of the car is an actuating member in the form ofa rod that at one end is pivotally connected to the portion of the swing lever on that side of the car, and at the other end is pivotally connected to the truck bolster at a location on the same side of the car. Cable structures extend between each end of the swing lever and the coupler shank, each of which includes a preloaded tension spring device, a cable length passing over a sheave to position same for an efficient pulling angle on the coupler, and a turnbuckle device for adjusting purposes to insure that the coupler is set aligned with the centerline of track when the positioning device is applied to the car. The arrangement is such that of pivotal action of the bolster from its normal transverse positioning relative to the car body in either direction will produce a swinging action of the coupler on the order of from alignment with the centerline of the car in either direction, depending on which direction the track is curving.

On straight track, the truck bolster is under no pressure from the locating device of this invention, the spring pressure as applied to the coupler by the invention reacting only against the opposite ends of the swing lever. When the car rounds a curve, the pivotal action of the truck relative to the car body in following the track curve moves the actuating rod as required to keep the coupler tangent with the track (and thus aligned with the centerline of track) through the operation of the invention.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one end of a railroad car showing the invention applied thereto, with the car body, portions of its underframe, and its truck, being shown in outline form;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, illustrating an improved coupler carrier arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmental view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing both ends of the car as equipped with the device of this invention.

However, it is to be understood that the specific drawings and description that are provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Code, and that the invention may have other specific embodiments that will be obvious to those skilled in the art and which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Reference numeral 10 of FIGS. 1 and 5 generally indicatesa railroad car that is equipped with the coupler-positioning device of this invention, the latter being generally indicated by reference numeral 12.

The railroad car 10 is shown'largely in block diagram form, with the car body being shown in outline at 14 and its underframe being shown in part at 15. The car 10 is of the socalled sliding-sill type and thus its underframe includes, as is well known in the art, a center sill structure 16 made up of two spaced-apart fixed sills l8 and 20, which receive between them the familiar sliding sill or draft and buffing column that is indicated by reference numeral 22.

Operably connected to the car underframe is a conventional railroad car truck 24 that includes the familiar bolster 26 that is coupled to the underframe center plate structure 28 by the customary kingpin assembly (not shown). The bolster 26 has its ends 30 received in the window openings of the truck side frame 32 where they are seated on suitable spring groupings for resilient support of the bolster. The side frames are suitably journaled on the axles 34 of conventional railroad car wheels 36.

The sliding sill 22 is equipped with a conventional longshanked coupler 40 having its shank 42 swivelablymounted on the end of the sliding sill by pin 44. As is customary, the pin 44 may be assumed to couple the coupler shank to the sliding sill through a suitable type of draft gear device (which has been omitted to simplify the drawings). Interposed between the sliding sill and the car underframe is a suitable form of cushioning arrangement, such as that indicated at 46 in FIG. 5, wherein the cushioning unit 47 (shown in diagram form only) is interposed between pairs of lugs 49 carried by the sill anda pair of stops 51 fixed to the underframe l5. Cushioning unit 47 may be of any suitable type, and for purposes of this disclosure is assumed to be of the hydraulic type having either a steel spring or pneumatic return for centering purposes.

The coupler-positioning device 12 comprises a swing lever 50 that is positioned between the coupler and the truck 24 adjacent same, and is pivotally connected at its midportion 52 to the underframe by pin 54, as indicated by FIGS. 1 and 5.

Swing lever 50 extends generally transversely of the car, and defines arm portions 56 and 58 that project towards the sides of the car. Connected between the swing arm portion 58 and the truck bolster 26 on the side of the car that the swing arm portion 58 is on is actuating member 60, which has one of its ends 62 pivoted to the swing lever as at 64 and the other of its ends 66 pivoted to the bolster as at 68.

Extending between the tips 70 and 72 of the respective swing arm portions 56 and 58 and the coupler shank 42 are a pair of cable structures 74 and 76, each of which includes a preloaded tension spring device 78, a section of cable length trained over a sheave 82 journaled on the underframe, and a turnbuckle device 84 that is provided for adjustment purposes. The turnbuckle devices 84 are respectively secured to a suitable bracket structure 86 suitably affixed to the coupler shank, as by welding.

The spring devices 78 have identical preloads, preferably on the order of 250 1b., and when the device 12 is applied to the car in the manner indicated in the drawings, the turnbuckle devices may be adjusted so that the spring action provided by the devices 78 holds the coupler 40 centered with respect to the car and track (assuming that the car is standing on a length of straight track).

In operation, as long as the car remainson straight track, the bolster 26 has no effect on swing lever 50, though the cable structures 74 and 76, by virtue of the spring devices 78, hold the coupler in centered relation with respect to the car and centerline of track.

When the railroad car 10 goes into a curve, the normal pivoting action of the truck 24 with respect to the car body and underframe will exert a pushing or pulling action on the swing lever 50, depending on the direction ofcurve, which will automatically move the coupler relative to the car so as to keep its head 41 aligned with the centerline of track. For instance, assuming that the end of the car shown in FIG. 1 is moving to the right into a track section that is curving downwardly of the drawing, the car truck 24 in pivoting to the indicated angled dashed-line position relative to the car body will swing the coupler 40 to the dashed-line position of FIG. 1. A similar coupler-positioning action is provided when the car rounds a track curving in the other direction, and when the car is moving to the left into trackage curving in either direction. Similarly, the coupler 40 at the other end of the car, also equipped with the device 12, is automatically maintained in proper centered relation with respect to the centerline of track.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION As indicated in FIG. 2, the swing lever 50, the actuating member 60, and the cable structures 74 and 76 are disposed at the level of the upper portion of the truck bolster 26. Swing lever is thus disposed below the car underframe center sills l8 and 20, and for purposes of illustration, it is shown pivoted to a suitable bracket structure that is fixed to and extends between the center sills 18 and 20. The ends 70 and 72 of the swing lever are formed with the openings indicated at 92 and 94, respectively for application thereto of the spring devices 78.

The actuating member 60 is in the form of rod 96 suitably equipped with clevises 98 and 100 at either end thereof. The clevis 98 is pivoted to the arm portion 58 of swing lever by pin 64, while the clevis 100 is pivoted to a lug 102 (see FIG. 2) that is in turn suitably affixed to a mounting plate 104 which is in turn suitably affixed to the side of the bolster, as by employing bolts 106.

The spring devices 78 each comprise a tension spring having one of its ends 112 hooked for reception in the opening 94 of swing lever 50, and the other end 114 hooked for reception in a loop 116 formed in the end 118 of the respective cable lengths 80. Cable lengths 80 at their other ends 120 are formed with a suitable loop 122 that is coupled to the respective turnbuckle devices 84.

The respective turnbuckle devices 84 each comprise the familiar turnbuckle frame element 124 having at each of its ends 126 and 128 the respective threaded elements 130 and 132 that are respectively equipped with the respective clevis structures 134 and 136. The loops 122 of the respective cable lengths are suitably secured to the respective clevis structures 134, as by pins 135, while the clevis structures 136 are suitably secured to the bracket structure 86 that is affixed to the coupler shank. For this purpose, the bracket structure 86 defined angled ears 140 and 142 to which the clevises of the respective turnbuckle devices are secured by suitable pins 144 after which (assuming the device 12 is fully assembled) frames 124 may be turned to make such adjustments as may be necessary in the positioning of coupler 40 to align same with the center of the car.

The pulleys 82 are journaled for rotation about vertically disposed axes, and may be applied to the car underframe in the positions indicated in any suitable manner. For purposes of disclosure, the pulleys 82 are each shown journaled by a shaft 152 in a suitable bracket structure 150, affixed to the car underframe in any suitable manner, and in the locations indicated.

Operably associated with the coupler 40 is an improved coupler carrier, where indicated by reference numeral 160. Coupler carrier comprises a short beam member 162 of a familiar I-beam configuration defining end flanges 164 and 166 connected together by web 168, with the beam 162 being suitable fixed between the diverging end portions 170 that define the sliding-sill bell mouth 171 in which the coupler 40 operates. Beam 168 is positioned beneath the bell mouth striker 172, end its top end flange 164 has applied thereto a special surfacing structure 174 in the form of a urethane strip 176 bonded to a base plate 178 that is in turn fixed to the end flange 164 of beam 162 in any suitable manner, as by employing tack welding. The urethane layer 176 should be 75-D shore urethane or its equivalent.

The urethane layer 176 not only provides a low coefficient of friction between the coupler shank and the top surface of the layer 176, but also prevents wear on the coupler shank and absorbs shock due to vertical movements of the coupler that are occasioned by the car movement over railroad track rail splices, and the like.

With regard to the coupler positioning device 12, the positioning of the pins 64 and 68 that pivot the actuation rod 96 to swing lever 50 and bolster 26 are such with respect to the centerline of the car, that 2% inches of bolster pivotal movement, measured at the location of pin 68, will produce 9 inches of coupler movement laterally of the centerline of the track.

It will be observed that the positioning devices 12 permit normal cushioning action of the sliding sill 22 in association with its cushioning device 47, and as a matter of fact, the devices 12 make a contribution to the overall energy-absorbing capacity involved. For instance, if the sliding sill 22 experiences an impact in buff at its left-hand end, the right-hand end of the sliding sill in moving outwardly of the fixed sill members 18 and 20 will extend spring devices 78, which thus aid in cushioning the coupler impact.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a railroad car including an underframe supported on railroad car trucks adjacent either end and provided with a coupler at each end thereof, with the trunks and couplers at each end of the car mounted to swing substantially horizontally about substantially vertical axes spaced longitudinally of the car, and with each truck including a bolster, and the couplers mounted for cushioning movement longitudinally of the car under draft and buff impacts, a coupler positioning device therefor for each coupler, said device comprising:

a swing lever extending generally transversely of the car and connected thereto at is midportion for swinging movement about a vertical axis,

said swing lever being positioned between the coupler and the truck adjacent same and positioned to have its said swinging movement axis substantially aligned with the centerline of the car and disposed between the truck and coupler axes,

an actuating rod member disposed at one side of the car and pivotally connected by substantially lost motion free pivot connections to'said swing lever and the truck bolster, respectively, at said side of the car at points spaced from the centerline of the car,

cable means extending and connected between the respective ends of said swing lever and the coupler and including biasing means for centering the coupler relative to car when the car is on straight track,

and a pair of sheaves each journaled on the underframe adjacent the car end and disposed on either side of the cou' pler and spaced therefrom,

said cable means being respectively trained over the respective sheaves,

said actuating member being proportioned lengthwise thereof such that when the car is on straight track, said swing lever is disposed substantially transversely of the car and said actuating member is substantially free of forces acting longitudinally thereof,

said sheaves having a spacing transversely of the car to maintain the biasing action of said biasing means on the coupler as the coupler moves longitudinally of the car under buff and draft impacts,

whereby, pivotal movement of the car truck on rounding a track curve will swing said swing lever to maintain said coupler tangent with the track through the connections provided by said actuating member and said cable means.

2. The device set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said cable means biasing means comprises first and second preloaded tension spring means respectively located in the portions of said cable means extending between the respective swing lever ends and the sheaves on the respective sides of the car,

said spring means each being arranged to provide for similar preload force acting on either side of the coupler.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said sheaves are located relative to the centerline of the car to dispose the portions of the respective cable means between the respective sheaves and swing lever ends in diverging relation outwardly of the end of the car at which said device is mounted.

4. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the connections of said actuating member to the truck bolster and swing lever are oriented such that truck pivotal action on the order of 5 from transverse positioning relative to the underframe will provide on the order of 9 inches of coupler movement laterally ofthe car.

5. In a railroad car including an underframe supported on railroad car trucks adjacent either end thereof and provided with a coupler at each end thereof, with the trucks and couplers at each end of the car mounted to swing substantially horizontally about substantially vertical axes spaced longitudinally of the car, and with each truck including a bolster, the couplers being mounted for cushioning movement longitudinally of the car under draft and buffimpacts, and a couplerpositioning device at each end of the car, the improvement wherein said devices each comprise:

a swing lever extending generally transversely of the car and connected thereto at the midportion of the respective swing levers for swinging movement about a vertical axis,

said swing levers being positioned between the coupler and the truck swing axes at each end of the car,

an actuating rod member for each lever, with each actuating member being pivotally connected by substantially lost motion free pivot connections to the respective swing levers and the truck bolster adjacent same at points spaced from the centerline of the car,

and cable means extending and connected between the respective ends of the respective swing levers and the coupler at the respective ends of the car and each including biasing means for centering the coupler relative to the car when the car is on straight track,

each of said devices including a pair of sheaves each journaled on the underframe adjacent the respective car ends and disposed on either side of the coupler and spaced therefrom,

said cable means of each said device being trained over said sheaves thereof,

said actuating members being proportioned lengthwise thereof such that when the car is on straight track, said swing levers are disposed substantially transversely of the car and said actuating members are substantially free of forces acting longitudinally thereof,

said sheaves of each device having a spacing transversely of the car to maintain the biasing action of the respective biasing means on the respective couplers as the respective couplers move longitudinally of the car under buff and draft impacts, said actuating members for the respective swing levers being disposed on opposite sides of the car such that pivotal movement of the car truck adjacent same on rounding a track curve will swing the respective swing levers to maintain the cou ler to which it is connected tangent with the track,

said cable means each including preloaded tension spring means of similar preload force acting on either side of the respective couplers.

6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said couplers are carried by a sliding sill mounted on the underframe for limit movement longitudinal thereof,

and cushioning means is interposed between the sliding sill and the underframe for cushioning impacts delivered to the car through the couplers,

said preloaded spring means providing additional capacity for cushioning said impacts.

7. The improvement set forth in claim 5 including:

a coupler carrier carried by said underframe at each end of the car,

said coupler carriers each including a coupler supporting surface engaged by the shank of the coupler supported by same,

said supporting surfaces being defined by an elastomeric material.

8. The improvement set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said elastomeric material comprises 75-D shore urethane. 

1. In a railroad car including an underframe supported on railroad car trucks adjacent either end and provided With a coupler at each end thereof, with the trunks and couplers at each end of the car mounted to swing substantially horizontally about substantially vertical axes spaced longitudinally of the car, and with each truck including a bolster, and the couplers mounted for cushioning movement longitudinally of the car under draft and buff impacts, a coupler positioning device therefor for each coupler, said device comprising: a swing lever extending generally transversely of the car and connected thereto at is midportion for swinging movement about a vertical axis, said swing lever being positioned between the coupler and the truck adjacent same and positioned to have its said swinging movement axis substantially aligned with the centerline of the car and disposed between the truck and coupler axes, an actuating rod member disposed at one side of the car and pivotally connected by substantially lost motion free pivot connections to said swing lever and the truck bolster, respectively, at said side of the car at points spaced from the centerline of the car, cable means extending and connected between the respective ends of said swing lever and the coupler and including biasing means for centering the coupler relative to car when the car is on straight track, and a pair of sheaves each journaled on the underframe adjacent the car end and disposed on either side of the coupler and spaced therefrom, said cable means being respectively trained over the respective sheaves, said actuating member being proportioned lengthwise thereof such that when the car is on straight track, said swing lever is disposed substantially transversely of the car and said actuating member is substantially free of forces acting longitudinally thereof, said sheaves having a spacing transversely of the car to maintain the biasing action of said biasing means on the coupler as the coupler moves longitudinally of the car under buff and draft impacts, whereby, pivotal movement of the car truck on rounding a track curve will swing said swing lever to maintain said coupler tangent with the track through the connections provided by said actuating member and said cable means.
 2. The device set forth in claim 1, wherein: said cable means biasing means comprises first and second preloaded tension spring means respectively located in the portions of said cable means extending between the respective swing lever ends and the sheaves on the respective sides of the car, said spring means each being arranged to provide for similar preload force acting on either side of the coupler.
 3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein: said sheaves are located relative to the centerline of the car to dispose the portions of the respective cable means between the respective sheaves and swing lever ends in diverging relation outwardly of the end of the car at which said device is mounted.
 4. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein: the connections of said actuating member to the truck bolster and swing lever are oriented such that truck pivotal action on the order of 5* from transverse positioning relative to the underframe will provide on the order of 9 inches of coupler movement laterally of the car.
 5. In a railroad car including an underframe supported on railroad car trucks adjacent either end thereof and provided with a coupler at each end thereof, with the trucks and couplers at each end of the car mounted to swing substantially horizontally about substantially vertical axes spaced longitudinally of the car, and with each truck including a bolster, the couplers being mounted for cushioning movement longitudinally of the car under draft and buff impacts, and a coupler-positioning device at each end of the car, the improvement wherein said devices each comprise: a swing lever extending generally transversely of the car and connected thereto at the midportion of the respective swing levers for swinging movement about a vertical axis, said swing levers being positioned between the coupler and the truck swing axes at each end of the car, an actuating rod member for each lever, with each actuating member being pivotally connected by substantially lost motion free pivot connections to the respective swing levers and the truck bolster adjacent same at points spaced from the centerline of the car, and cable means extending and connected between the respective ends of the respective swing levers and the coupler at the respective ends of the car and each including biasing means for centering the coupler relative to the car when the car is on straight track, each of said devices including a pair of sheaves each journaled on the underframe adjacent the respective car ends and disposed on either side of the coupler and spaced therefrom, said cable means of each said device being trained over said sheaves thereof, said actuating members being proportioned lengthwise thereof such that when the car is on straight track, said swing levers are disposed substantially transversely of the car and said actuating members are substantially free of forces acting longitudinally thereof, said sheaves of each device having a spacing transversely of the car to maintain the biasing action of the respective biasing means on the respective couplers as the respective couplers move longitudinally of the car under buff and draft impacts, said actuating members for the respective swing levers being disposed on opposite sides of the car such that pivotal movement of the car truck adjacent same on rounding a track curve will swing the respective swing levers to maintain the coupler to which it is connected tangent with the track, said cable means each including preloaded tension spring means of similar preload force acting on either side of the respective couplers.
 6. The improvement set forth in claim 5 wherein: said couplers are carried by a sliding sill mounted on the underframe for limit movement longitudinal thereof, and cushioning means is interposed between the sliding sill and the underframe for cushioning impacts delivered to the car through the couplers, said preloaded spring means providing additional capacity for cushioning said impacts.
 7. The improvement set forth in claim 5 including: a coupler carrier carried by said underframe at each end of the car, said coupler carriers each including a coupler supporting surface engaged by the shank of the coupler supported by same, said supporting surfaces being defined by an elastomeric material.
 8. The improvement set forth in claim 7, wherein: said elastomeric material comprises 75-D shore urethane. 